CA1110834A

CA1110834A - Strap tensioning buckle

Info

Publication number: CA1110834A
Application number: CA000297363A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Axel Kubelka
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Koflach Sport GmbH
Priority date: 1977-02-22
Filing date: 1978-02-21
Publication date: 1981-10-20
Also published as: JPS53104348A; JPS6032441B2; DE7804494U1; IT1092438B; DE2806422C3; CH626240A5; DE2806422B2; SE7802000L; ATA118577A; NO780595L; FR2380796B1; US4229862A; AT366246B; FR2380796A1; DE2806422A1; IT7820077A0

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The invention provides a tensioning buckle for a strap-like pull element on ski boots or the like. The buckle comprises a tensioning lever hinged for pivoting movements about a hinge axis located within a base plate intended to be fixed on a boot or on an element connected to a boot. The device further comprises two arms which are adjacent to the hinge axis and distant from each other by a clearance equal at least to the width of the pull element and allowing between them a passageway for the pull element, and furthermore the device is provided with a clamping device for holding a pull element. The buckle is characterized in that the tensioning lever, in the portion opposite to the hinge axis, is provided with a clamping lever and a cover plate for covering the pull element. The clamping lever is pivotally mounted in the tensioning lever, its pivotal axis being substantially parallel to the hinge axis of the tensioning lever, and its free end being located in a direction opposite to the direction in which a tensile load acting on a pull element is adapted to be exerted.
The length of the clamping lever is greater than the per-pendicular distance between its pivotal axis and the lower surface of the cover plate, diminished by the thickness of the pull element.

Description

This invention relates to a strap tensioning buckle ior 8 strap-like pull element on ski boots or the like, said buckle comprising a tensioning lever turnable into a tightening position and hinged onto an eye solid with a base plate fixed on the boot or on an element connected to said boot, and further comprising two arms adjacent to the hinge axis and distant from each other by a clearance equal at least to the width of said pull element and allowing between them a passageway for said element, and further-more comprising a clamping device for holding the pull element.
In tensioning buckles for straps used on shoes, it i9 common practice that the strap is connected to a cross bar which may be put into a lever. Several positions are ellgible. U~ually, the surface of the strap facing the ~hoe is provided with a tooth-like profile into which said cross bar is engaged. In most cases, the number of possible positions is ~mall, which means that the locking force is not adjustable exactly enough. ~oweYer, the chie~ shortcoming of the known tensioning buckles consists in the circumstance that said cross bar leaves its position in the toothed pro~ile each time when the buckle is opened, which nece5sitates to search again the proper position when the buckle is to be locked. Another tensioning buckle has become known comprising a highly flexible strap-like pull element which is twisted around a holding means where it i~ maintained by means of a clamping device. But an intricate operation becomes necessary when the tensioning element has been completely loosened from the tensioning buckle. This kind of` tensioning buckle is not suitable for strap-like pull ele~lents which are lormed corresponding to the body of a ski boot since such straps are not flexible enough.

Object of the present invention is a strap tensioning buckle which is usable also with a relatively stiff pull element and whioh allows completely opening the same main-taining the pull element in its selected position. To solve this problem the invention consists essentially in that the tensioning lever in the portion opposite to the hinge axis is provided with a clamping lever ~nd a cover plate covering said pull element, that the clamping lever is pivotally mounted in the tensioning lever, its pivotal axis being substantially parallel to the hinge axis of the tensioning lever, and its free end being directed opposite to the directi.on of the tensile load acting on the pull element, that the length of the clamping lever iB greater than the perpendicular distance between its pivotal UXi8 and the lower surface of the cover plate, dimini.shed by the thickness of the pull element, and that at least a portion of the surface of the pull element i9 provided with a toothed profile matching with a counter-pro~ile on the clamping lever and/or the cover plate.
In this way it is possible to insert into the buckle a strap formed like the body of a ski hoot, even without mediation of a cross bar connected to the strap. The best fitting position for inserting the strap may be selected out of a continuous ~eries of possibilities. Once the position has been sel2cted, the strap is fixed or clamped in the tensioning lever, the clamping point being l.ocated in a portion of the lever opposite to the hinge axis. In this point, i.e. bet~een the clamping lever and the cover plate, the pull element remains clamped even when the buckle is open, so that it is not necessary to find out anew the appropriate length of the strap when closing the buckle. On the other hand, it is possible to take out completely the strap only by acting on the clamping lever.
As a result of the fact that in accordance with the in-vention the clamping lever is pivotally mounted in the tensioning lever, its pivotal axis being substantially parallel to the hinge axis of the tensioning lever, and its free end being directed opposite to the direction of the tensile load acting on the pull element and that the length of the clamping lever is greater than the perpendicula~
distance between its pivotal axis and the lower surface of the cover plate, diminished by the thickness of the pull element, it is achieved that a tensile load acting on the strap urges the clamping lever into its locking position. Therefore, a variety of materials is usable for the pull element which can be made e.g. from the material of the uppers or the collar of the ski boot or shaped accordingly to the form of the ski boot. Furthermore, it is pro~ided that at least a portion of the surface of the pull element has a toothed profile rnatching with a counter-profile on the clamping lever and/or the cove.
plate, and this measure serves to secure the position of the strap within the clamping device. The length of the strap is much more exactly adjustable than with the common buckles for ski boots.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is characteri~e~i by the feature that said toothed profile is provided on -83'1 that side of the pull element which is directed toward the surface of the boot, and that said profile matches with a counter-profile of the clamping lever which is spring urged against said pull element and the cover plate, thus minimizing the possibility of damaging the toothed profile of the strap. The clamping lever may be pivotally mounted in the ten~ioning lever and may be provided with at least one laterally projecting grip element by means of which the clamping lever i9 ~etachable from the pull element, which in this way can be completely drawn out of the buckle or rearranged in order to regulate the tension.
In a simple manner can be provided that the side o~
the clamping lever directed toward the lower ~ace of the cover plate has a curved configuration, that the clamping lever is pivotally supported in the cover plate portion o~ the tensioning le~er, its pivotal axis being eccentrical with respect to said curved configuration, and that a resilisnt force urges the clamping lever in a direction narrowing the gap b0tween its upper surface and the lower surface o~ the plate.
Another po~sibility consists in that the pivot axi~
of the clamping lever is located in a central region of the cover plate portion of the tensioning lever, that one end of the clamping lever is provided with a counter-profile engageable to the toothed profile o~ the pull element, that the clamping lever is elongated beyond its pivot a~is, and that this e:Lsngation can be optionalLy pressed against the cover plate portion of the tensioning lever at the end thereof opposite to the olamping point of the pull element, the pivot axis of the clamping lever preferably being coinci-dent with the pivot axis of two arms by means of which the tensioning unit is hingedly fixed.
In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the arms of the tensioning lever are disengageably hinged to the base element. For loosening completely the strap it will be sufficient to snap out the strap along with the tensioning lever. When the lever shall be snapped back again, there is no need to adjust the length of the strap again. Preferably the arms of the tensioning lever are pivotally connected to the cover plate portion of the same, the cover plate portion being turned away from thehinge axis, and serving to cover the pull element, which permits a strap of relatively high stiff-ness to be used since the strap is not excessively bend stressed though being held by the clamping device at the portion thereof opposite the hinge axis.
In the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the invention are shown by way of examples.
FIGURE 1 shows a cross-section of the strap tensioning buckle according to the invention, taken along the line I-I
in Figure 2;
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the tensioning buckle;
FIGURE 3 shows a plan Vi2W of a second-embodiment of the invention, similar to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, with some of the parts omitted for clarityi FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;
FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment with some of the parts omitted for clarity;
FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 7;
FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment;
FIGURE 8 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention; and c~_~

3~ .

FlGURE 9 is a view taken a30r~g the line IY-IX of Figure 8.
~ s can be seen from Figure 1, a base plate 1 has a ~jore 2, said base p]ate being connectable .o the shell by ,-,eans of a rivet (not shown) which may be inserted through said bore 2. Arms 3 are hinged onto the base plate 1, being tl.irnahle about an axis 4. The strap 7 is secure~ by a cover p3ate 6 provided on the tensioning lever 5 at the upper end thereof opposite to the axis a. The strap 7 is toothed at 8 on its 30~.7er side whi.].e a clamping 3ever 10 is provided on its ~pper side with a .oo.hing 9 matching and ensaging said toothing ~ of said strap. A coil spring 11 uLges the clal.lping lever 10 into a position where tne strap is pressed ascinst che cover plate 6. As best seen in Fig~re 2, the axis 4 is defined by t-~o short rive,s 12 whose ir,ner ends are formed as b]~]nted coni.cal caps 13, the free distance a between these caps beillg sliyhtly s}-orter than the width b of the strap 7. ~hus the strap is ;~ai.nlained be30w said hinging aj:iS a ~hi.le ihe tensior.ing lever 5 is i.n a clcsed position, and the strap tensioning buck]e canrlot be opened acciclentally.
Projecting laterally over the tensioning ]ever S there are proviaed on the c]arnping ]ever lO .:wo arip el~ ents l4. By r,ressing do~.Jnwards sai.d srip e]e/llents 14 t}--~e cla~pi3)g lever 10 is moved out ol its en~a~inc rcsi.tic,n shc~..r. in Ficure 1 asai3lst the lorce of the coil spri.ng 11 wnose one end 15 is bi~sed aaainst the clamping lever 10 whi]e `he o;her end 16 .hereof is rioidly fi~ed at a riaid rortion of the tensioni.ng lc-ver 5, the swivelling a~is 17 of said c3c.p-ng 3ever 10 coir.--ciaing with the center line of the coil spr;ng ll ~ith a strap tensionirlg buckle of this kind it i.s s~lficient to insert -the strap 7 into the po~tion of the ~g~ 4 tensioning lever 5 supporting the cover plate 6. Tensioning occurs in a simple manner by rotating the tensioning lever 5 in the direction of the arrow 18 about the rivet axis 4. By this movement the strap 7 is pressed into a position as shown in Figure 2, i.e. below the conical caps 13. If tensile forces are applied on the strap 7, they generate only stress components tending to close the buckle, i.e. to move the plate 6 in the direction of the arrow 18. It should be noted that the lower edge 19 of the arms 3 in the region of their axis 4 has a rounded contour having a tangentially shaped continuation 20. Thus the opening motion of the buckle by turning the lever 5 contrary to the arrow 18 is limited by the contact between the surface 2 and the base plate 1.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, a plate 21 made from a flexible plastics material is provided below the cover plate 6. The clamping lever and the strap have been omitted for clarity. The plastics plate 21 is slidably guided in grooves 22 provided in the arms 3. When shifted in the direction of the arrow 23, said plate 21 reaches a position where it covers the strap 7 also in the region of the arms 3, thus preventing the strap from being accidentally lifted upwards. In this relation, a round-edged grip element 24 is provided on the plastics plate 21 on the end thereof directed to the axis 4 of the arms 3. The rounded edge 19 serves to save the strap 7 against being damaged since the cover plate 6, especially with a metallic clamping lever 5, has a very keen edge by which the st~ p 7 easily could be damaged.
The embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 shows a slidiny element 25 surrounding the arms 3 and covering the inter-space between the same in order to prevent the straps 7 ! - 8 -from being inadvertently forced upwards. The clamping lever and strap have been omitted for clarity. After the buckle has been closed the element 25 is moved downwards in the direc-tion of the arrow 26 to cover the strap. The element 2 as well as the plate 21 may be provided on their lower side with knobs (not shown) urging the strap 7 from above and pressing it down against the base plate 1.
Another embodiment of the invention is to be seen in Figures 6 and 7 where a pair of arms 28 of the tensioning lever 27 are pivotally connected by means of an axis 29 to the plate 30 covering the strap 7. The clamping lever 31 is pivotally mounted ~y an axle 22 to the pi.~ce compri.sing said cover plate 30.. An upper portion of th.e clamping lever 31 is provi.ded with a toothed profile 34, and a spring 33 tends to press th.e sai.d profi.le upwards against the cover plate 3~, Two grip elements: 35 projecting from the clamping lever 31 permi.t this lever 31 to be turned down freeing i~s toothed profile 34 from a toothed counter~
profi.le 8 provid~d on the lower side of the strap 7~ The arms 28 are hlnged at 36 to an e.ye 37 solid wi.th.the ~.ase plate 1, The hinge axi.s 36 is defined, similarly as ln Figure 2, ~y a pair of rivets ending on the înner side with a conical cap 38, The. distance a between the conical caps 38 is slightly narrower than the w1dth-b of the strap 7.
Cons.e.quently, once the strap is positioned between the rivet caps 38 and the base plate 1, it cannot be inadvertently forced upwards to its open pos:ition as shcwn in Figure 6.
To tighten the ~uckle one need do nothing except exert a pressure -a~ai,nst the cover plate 30 or the lever 28 in the region oi' lheir common axis 29 about in the direction of the arrow 39. This will effect a movement of these parts following in general the arrow 40, locking so the tensioning buckle.
Referring now to Figure 8 and 9, the clamping lever 41 is rotatably connected to the strap cover plate 42 about an axis 43 situated in a middle portion of these two pieces.
A resilient collar 44 surrounding the clamping lever 41 a;nd the cover plate 42 presses these two parts against one another, the strap 7 being squeezed therebetween. 45 and 46 are operational ends of the clamping lever 41 and the cover plate 46, respectively. By pressing these ends against each other contrary to the force of the resilient collar 44, the strap 7 i9 loosened. A pair ol' arms 47 are hinged on the axis 43. On their free ends these arms 47 are hingedly mounted on eyes 49 solid with t,he base plate 1. The joint holes 48 provided in the eyes 49 being partly open, the arms 47 can be snapped out from the holes in the direction of the arrow 50. With the arms being snapped out, the buckle is completely loosened but it may remain connected to the end of the strap 7. To open the buckle it is sufficient to rotate the same in the sense of the arrow 51 after having clicl~ed the arms 47 into the correspondent holes 4~.

CLAIMS:

~l -- 10 --

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A tensioning buckle for a strap-like pull element on ski boots or the like, said buckle comprising a tensioning lever hinged for pivoting movements about a hinge axis located within a base plate intended to be fixed on a boot or on an element connected to a boot, and further comprising two arms adjacent to the hinge axis and distant from each other by a clearance equal at least to the width of said pull element and allowing between them a passageway for said pull element, and furthermore comprising a clamping device for holding the pull element, said tensioning buckle being characterized in that:
the tensioning lever in the portion opposite to the hinge axis is provided with a clamping lever and a cover plate for covering said pull element;
that the clamping lever is pivotally mounted in the tensioning lever, its pivotal axis being substantially parallel to the hinge axis of the tensioning lever, and its free end being located in a direction opposite to the direc-tion in which a tensile load acting on the pull element is adapted to be exerted, that the length of the clamping lever is greater than the perpendicular distance between its pivotal axis and the lower surface of the cover plate, diminished by the thickness of the pull element.

2. A tensioning buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein there is provided, on at least a portion of a member selected from the group consisting of said clamping lever, said cover plate, and both said clamping lever and cover plate, projections and recesses forming a toothed profile adapted for interlocking with a toothed counter-profile on a pull element.

3. The tensioning buckle of claim 2, characterized in that said toothed profile is provided on said clamping lever which is adapted to be spring urged against a pull element and said cover plate, said toothed profile adapted to interlock with a toothed counter-profile provided in that side of a pull element which is directed toward the surface of a boot.

4. The tensioning buckle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that said clamping lever pivotally mounted in said tensioning lever is provided with at least one laterally projecting grip element by means of which said clamping lever is adapted to be detachable from a pull element.

5. A tensioning buckle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that the side of the clamping lever directed toward the lower face of said cover plate has a curved configuration, that said clamping lever is pivotally supported in the cover plate portion of the tensioning lever, its pivotal axis being eccentrical with respect to said curved configuration, and that a resilient force urges said clamping lever in a direction narrowing the gap between its upper surface and the lower surface of said cover plate.

6. A tensioning buckle according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that the pivot axis of said clamping lever is located in a central region of the cover plate portion of said tensioning lever, that one end of said clamping lever is provided with a profile adapted to be engageable to a toothed counter-profile of a pull element, that said clamping lever is elongated beyond its pivot axis, and that said elongation can be optionally adapted to be pressed against the cover plate portion of said tensioning lever at the end thereof opposite to a clamping point of a pull element, the pivot axis of said clamping lever preferably being coincident with the pivot axis of two arms by means of which the tensioning unit is hingedly fixed.

7. A tensioning buckle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that the arms of the tensioning lever are pivotally connected to the cover plate portion of the same, the cover plate portion being turned away from the hinge axis and being adapted to cover a pull element.

8. A tensioning buckle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that the arms of said tensioning lever are adapted to be disengageably hinged to a base element.

9. A tensioning buckle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that pivoting movement of the tensioning lever about its hinge axis in an opening direction is limited by contact surfaces provided on the arms.